Rabih Alameddine ("An Unnecessary Woman," "The Hakawati") talks about his sixth novel, "The Angel of History," and about the German-Jewish Marxist literary critic Walter Benjamin, the “othering” of Arabs in Western societies, and contemporary gay life, among other matters.

"Finally, a book that helps to explain America’s enduring fascination with the mythology of the Mafia."

--JOHN TURTURRO

La Notte della Taranta: Reviving the Tradition

La Notte della Taranta, founded in 1998 to celebrate the musical culture of Salento, the southern tip of the Puglia region, not only is Italy’s biggest festival of traditional music; it’s also one of Europe’s major music events. Over three weeks in August, thousands of local residents, as well as visitors from other parts of Italy, Europe, and beyond, take part in the festival’s concerts and other cultural activities